Typewriter supporting shelf



ly 1954 T. STOHLBERG TYPEWRITER SUPPORTING SHELF 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledOct. 6, 1961 INVENTOR ATTORNEY y 7, 1954 T. STOHLBERG 3,140,135

TYPEWRITER SUPPORTING SHELF Filed Oct. 6, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR7742/62: .mwe

ATTORNEY United States Patent York Filed Oct. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 143,4712 Claims. (Cl. 312--208) This invention relates to improvements in atypewriter supporting shelf and more particularly to one designed to beapplied to the side or edge of a desk or table.

Heretofore accommodations for typewriters intended to be associated withdesks have taken the form of a pedestal mounted shelf that was containedin a compartment vacated by the usual two or three drawer area of adesk. Such a shelf would support a typewriter and was movable from aposition of concealment within a desk pedestal to a position of use at adesk end. Acceptance by the public of this type of typewriter supporthas been somewhat mixed if for no other reason than the fact that a deskarranged to accommodate a typewriter lost approximately half itsintended storage or filing space and, furthermore, the movablesupporting shelf could not have the firmness and rigidity normallyrequired in the customary use of a typewriter. It is here mentioned thattyping errors frequently occur as a result of an unsteady shelf or othertypewriter support.

The present invention is directed to and has for one of its objects theprovision of a typewriter shelf that is of sufiicient rigidity towithstand and be unaffected by the vibration inherent in the normal useof a typewriter.

Further, it is an important object of the invention to provide a shelfthat may be conveniently attached to a desk or table, thereby enablingadaptation of various pieces of oflice furniture to typewriter use.

It is also of importance to note that the present shelf not only readilyattaches at one end to a desk or table, but includes floor engagingstructure that assists in rendering it sufficiently rigid for usefulpurposes as to practically become a part of the article to which it isjoined.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fullyunderstood from a consideration of the following specification, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a desk to which is attached oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bracket by means of which atypewriter shelf is attached to an article of office furniture such asthe desk shown; a

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view showing theshelf bracket partially engaged with the conventional front of a deskpedestal;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing the bracket fully engagedwith the desk pedestal and the shelf in position of use. (See line 55 ofFIG. 2); and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially as indicatedby the line 6- -6 of FIG. 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 10 isemployed to generally designate a desk to which the invention ispresently applied. The desk, for purposes of illustration, consists oftwo spaced pedestals 11 supported on suitable bases or legs 12. Aconventional top 13 overlies and connects the pedestals and, since theyare spaced apart, adequate knee-area is provided. Referring to FIG. 4,it will be noted that directly beneath the front edge 14 of the top 13the forward end 16 of a work slide 17 is shown. Beneath this slide is atop rail 18 which, in conjunction with sides 19 and sill 21, forms afront opening to the pedestal to receive the usual drawers 22. As may beseen, the rail 18 includes an inturned flange 23. The structure of thatportion of a desk pedestal above the drawer opening is substantially thesame in all desks and, consequently, the invention may be considered asapplicable to pedestal desks in general.

The subject of the invention, as stated, concerns the provision of atypewriter table or shelf attachable to a conventional pedestal desk. Tothis end, attention is directed to the structure thereof as disclosed inthe various figures of the drawings. In FIG. 1, a shelf 24 is shown toextend forwardly from the front end of one of the pedestals 11. Thisshelf, in general, includes a work or typewriter receiving top. Theunattached end of the shelf is supported upon suitable legs 26. Althougha so-called modesty panel 27 is shown, the use of such a panel isoptional and forms no part of the invention.

The shelf 24 includes a metal sheet 28 to which a suitable surfacematerial 29 is applied. Conventional edge binders 31 frame the material29 and, of course, the shelf edges are defined by downwardly extendingflanges 30, such as suggested in FIGS. 2 and 5. By way of furtherrigidifying the shelf, at least two channels 32 are provided, which, assuggested in FIG. 2, extend lengthwise and are secured, as by welding,along their base walls 33 to the under surface of the metal sheet 28.The channel side walls 34 terminate in inwardly turned flanges 36 whichserve to restrict the channel opening. The present shelf, or a similarwell constructed member, is attached to one of the pedestals 11 by meansof a bracket 37. This bracket (see FIGS. 3, 4 and 5) consists of aseries of integral flanges that provide a stepped down end support asbetween the desk pedestal and the shelf.

Referring to FIG. 4, the bracket will include a lip flange 38 which isof a length slightly less than the width of the pedestal opening. Shoulda particular pedestal opening be of less width than the lip flange, itis proposed to notch this flange, as at 39, to enable ready removal of athus formed tab flange 41. From the flange 38, a right angle flange 42continues which then extends downwardly as a flange 43 which is parallelto, but horizontally offset from, the lip flange. From the flange 43, ahorizontal flange 44 extends downwardly and is offset from a terminalflange 46 by an angle flange 47. The flange 46 is fitted with bolts 48that extend upwardly from beneath this flange and are engaged byelongated nuts 49. Two or more compressible pads 51 of corklike materialare secured to one face of flange 43, whereas the other face of thisflange carries a similar pads 52. It will be appreciated that thebracket 37 is first attached to one end of the shelf. This isaccomplished by abutting the padded flange 43 against the shelf endflange 30. This brings flange 44 into abutment with the inturned portionof the shelf flange 30. In fact, flanges 43, 44 and 47 form a channel inwhich this inturned portion is fitted. Due to the width of flange 47,the terminal flange 46 is caused to abut the inturned flanges 36 of thechannels 32. The nuts 49, being of a lateral size greater than therestricted openings in the channels, have been turned to permit theirentry. They may then be rotated on the bolts 48 to occupy a positiontransverse to the channel length and in so doing they bridge the channelopenings with the ends resting on the inner surfaces of flanges 36.Rotating the bolts 48 draws down the nuts 49 and causes the terminalflange 46 to be rigidly secured to the channels. Of course, the pads 51are somewhat compressed between the flanges 43 and 30, thus making atight, non-noise transmitting connection between the bracket and theshelf.

Attention is now directed to FIG. 4 wherein the brack et 37 is shown ina partially assembled position. For space and simplicity of disclosure,the bracket in this figure is shown without the shelf 24. However, it isto be assumed that the bracket and shelf may, as one, be

joined to the desk or removed in the following manner. As mentioned, itis common practice to provide a rail, such as indicated at 18, which isstiffened by the usual inturned flange 23. The top drawer 22 is moved toa slightly opened position, such as shown in FIG. 4. This gives enoughspace between the drawer front and rail 18 to permit the angledinsertion of the bracket tongue flange 33. By swinging the bracket andshelf downwardly toward a horizontal position, flange 38 moves upwardlybehind flange 23 and, simultaneously, flange 42 assumes a horizontalposition as flange 43 urges the drawer 22 into fully closed position.The completed assembly is shown in FIG. 5. It will be noted that whenthe bracket is fully assembled, the pads 52 are caused to bear againstthe sides 19 that in part define the pedestal opening. It will beobserved that the weight of the shelf, especially with a typewriter onit, Will continually urge the bracket into and hold it in tightengagement with the pedestal. Not only will the shelf and typewriterweight assure securement of the bracket, but the legs 26 will also becaused to rest firmly on a floor or comparable surface. Any vibrationresulting from typewriter or other use will be absorbed by the pads,thus eliminating transmission of any vibration to the desk. This couldbe of importance when it is considered that a typist could be producinga transcript of a message from a recording machine located on a desk toa typewriter mounted on the desk attached shelf.

Although the modesty panel 27 mentioned above constitutes no direct partof the invention, it is pointed out that the channels 32, as seen inFIG. 2, are relatively close to the side flanges 30 that define thesides of the shelf. In showing this panel, it is intended to disclosethat one or the other of these reinforcing channels may serve an addedpurpose by providing the same structure for attaching the panel 27 as isused to secure the bracket 37 to the shelf.

Referring to FIG. 6, the panel 27 is shown to include a horizontalflange 52 that terminates in an upstanding flange 53. The width offlange 52 enables flange 53 to engage one of the channel side walls 34with the body of the panel flush with the other channel side wall. Thisrelationship brings the panel 27 suitably close to the side of the shelfand does not in any way decrease the leg room for a typist. A pair ofbrackets 51 are considered adequate to locate and support this panel.Each bracket includes a perpendicular flange 54 joined at its upper endto a horizontal flange 55, this last mentioned flange abutting the undersurface of panel flange 52. To rigidify the bracket, integral webs orwings 56 are provided. It will be understood that each bracket is nestedinto the upper portion of the panel and permanently joined thereto.

When the panel is positioned as indicated in FIG. 6, coinciding openings57 in flanges 52 and 55 enable projecting the threaded shaft of a wingbolt 58 into the space between the channel flanges 36. Elongated nuts59, similar to nuts 49, rest on the channel flanges 36 and are engagedby the shafts of bolts 58. Tightening these bolts secures the brackets51 and the flange 52 to a selected channel 32 in exactly the manner andwith the 4 same effectiveness as stated about the joining of bracket 37to the shelf 24.

Although applicant has shown and described only one particular form ofbracket by which to enable attaching a typewriter shelf to a desk orother pedestal, it will be understood that in view of the differences indesk sizes, it is contemplated to modify one or more of the bracketflanges for this purpose and such modification is considered as beingwithin the spirit and scope of the invention as set out in the annexedclaims.

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new and for which Idesire protection by Letters Patent 1. A typewriter shelf in combinationwith a bracket for attaching said shelf to a desk or the like, saidshelf including a work receiving member marginally reinforced by adepending flange, downwardly opening channels secured to the undersurface of said member, said channels extending substantially the fulllength of said member and being within the vertical confines thereof asdetermined by said marginal depending flange, said bracket havingopposite marginal flanges in stepped relation, one of said flangesabutting said channels adjacent one end of said member, clamping meanscarried by said one flange engaged with said channels and locating theother bracket flange above and beyond the one end of said member, saidlast named bracket flange being interfitted with a rail of said deskthat defines the top of a drawer opening, an intermediate portion ofsaid bracket being interposed between said desk and the referred to endof said member.

2. A typewriter shelf in combination with a bracket for attaching saidshelf to a desk or the like, said shelf including a work receivingmember marginally reinforced by a depending flange, downwardly openingchannels secured to the under surface of said member, said channelsextending substantially the full length of said member and being withinthe vertical confines thereof, inturned flanges on the sides of saidchannels restricting the width of the openings therein, said brackethaving opposite marginal flanges in stepped relation, one of saidflanges abutting said channels adjacent one end of said member, clampingmeans carried by said one flange securing it to said channels, anintermediate portion of said bracket engaging and enclosing one end ofthe depending flange of said member, said portion serving to locate theother marginal flange of said bracket above and beyond said member, saidother bracket flange being capable of interfitting engagement with arail that defines the top of a drawer opening in said desk through ahooking and downwardly swinging movement to a position to cause abutmentof said intermediate portion with further desk parts that cooperate indefining a drawer opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,297,647 Chason Sept. 29, 1942 2,324,247 Ullman July 13, 1943 2,906,574Bullock Sept. 29, 1959 2,987,362 Bernath June 6, 1961

1. A TYPEWRITER SHELF IN COMBINATION WITH A BRACKET FOR ATTACHING SAIDSHELF TO A DESK OR THE LIKE, SAID SHELF INCLUDING A WORK RECEIVINGMEMBER MARGINALLY REINFORCED BY A DEPENDING FLANGE, DOWNWARDLY OPENINGCHANNELS SECURED TO THE UNDER SURFACE OF SAID MEMBER, SAID CHANNELSEXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL LENGTH OF SAID MEMBER AND BEING WITHINTHE VERTICAL CONFINES THEREOF AS DETERMINED BY SAID MARGINAL DEPENDINGFLANGE, SAID BRACKET HAVING OPPOSITE MARGINAL FLANGED IN STEPPEDRELATION, ONE OF SAID FLANGES ABUTTING SAID CHANNELS ADJACENT ONE END OFSAID MEMBER, CLAMPING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID ONE FLANGE ENGAGED WITH SAIDCHANNELS AND LOCATING THE OTHER BRACKET FLANGE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE ONEEND OF SAID MEMBER, SAID LAST NAMED BRACKET FLANGE BEING INTERFITTEDWITH A RAIL OF SAID DESK THAT DEFINES THE TOP OF A DRAWER OPENING, ANINTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID BRACKET BEING INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID DESKAND THE REFERRED TO END OF SAID MEMBER.